Jordan algebras of degree 3 and the Tits process (Q1073898)

The authors define the ''Tits process'' for constructing Jordan algebras, a process which generalizes both Tits constructions of Jordan algebras and which is analogous to the Cayley-Dickson process for constructing composition algebras. The Tits process starts with a unital commutative associative ring \(\Phi\) with involution *, a unital \(\Phi\)-algebra B with involution * extending that on \(\Phi\), and a cubic norm structure (N,{\#},1) on B such that N, {\#}, and 1 respect the multiplication and involution on B and such that \(B^+\) is the Jordan algebra determined by the cubic norm structure. Let \(\Phi_ 0\) be an ample subring of \(\Phi\), and let A be an ample \(\Phi_ 0\)-submodule of H(B,*) such that A is contained in the nucleus of B and the cubic norm structure (N,{\#},1) restricts to A over \(\Phi_ 0\). Then the Tits process defines a cubic norm structure on \(A\oplus B\) giving a Jordan algebra J. The authors present examples of standard Jordan algebras constructed by the Tits process. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given for an algebra constructed by the Tits process to be a division algebra. When \(\Phi_ 0\) is a field, it is proved that both the nil and the Jacobson radicals of J are the direct sum of the nil radicals of A and B.